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Insecurity: Exercise Restraint In Your Reportage, Presidency Urges Media

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The media have been urged to exercise restraint in their reportage concerning the current security challenges in some parts of the country.

Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, stated this in a statement issued on Wednesday in Abuja.

Onanuga said that the media had the responsibility to promote laudable actions by government and make positive criticism based on the overriding national interest.

According to him, screaming headlines that paint gory pictures of the situations will only hurt the country by scaring away genuine local and foreign direct investments.

“Media reporting about cases of kidnapping, communal killings and isolated terrorism acts must show some moderation by not giving the impression that all Nigerians no longer sleep with two eyes closed or are not safe in going about their day-to-day business.

“To sell our newspapers or clickbait, we tend to exaggerate and embellish, sometimes forgetting the social responsibility of the media, not to give the impression that our country is under siege by criminals or that every nook and cranny of our country is under their stranglehold.

“One of our newspapers took this responsibility to heart in its report on the same Tuesday, making its major headline, the efforts by security agents to rein in the minority vagabonds in our midst,” he said.

The presidential aide stated that though Nigeria had yet to reach the zenith of security, it was still not the worst country in terms of insecurity.

For instance, he said that in robbery and kidnapping, Nigeria was not among the most endemic countries, adding that global listing put the country at less than one person to 100,000 persons involved in the crime.

Onanuga said: “In a report by the World Population Review, Nigeria is not among the top 10 countries in the world, with kidnapping epidemic.

“Turkey leads with 42 people kidnapped out of 100,000 people. Lebanon is second with 15 people out of 100,000 and Kuwait third with 12 out of 100,000 held in captivity.
“Canada, Belgium, South Africa, New Zealand, Pakistan, Eswatini and United Kingdom make up the remaining top 10. Kidnapping in Nigeria is 0.334 per 100,000.

“The frightening headlines on Tuesday were based on the report by the Civil Society Joint Action Group that calls for an emergency on the security situation, surprisingly oblivious that our security agencies have been working in that spirit for a long time, since 2009.”

He called for support media support in the efforts by security agencies at nipping criminality in the bud since the beginning of insecurity in the 1990s.

“Our security agencies deserve society’s appreciation for their efforts so far in trying to nip in the bud the evils of kidnapping, banditry, communal killings and terrorism in our country.

“Their efforts, most often understated, have made our country safer, at least, than South Africa or the United States where 44,310 people were killed last year in gun violence,” he said.
The presidential aide said that government had been putting in place various kinetic and non-kinetic measures to improve security of lives and property.

“President Tinubu has been providing material support to security agencies to discharge their duties.

“In recent weeks, we have seen the police setting up a Special Intervention Squad, equipped with drones.

“The DSS has stepped up its anti-kidnapping act, rescuing 154 abducted people in the last few days.

“Last week, President Tinubu approved N50 billion as special funds to address some of the lingering security challenges in North-East. He also approved special funds to the FCT for the acquisition of equipment to track criminals,” he said.

Onanuga urged all stakeholders to complement the efforts of the national and sub-national governments in tackling insecurity in the country.

(NAN)

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TUC Threatens To ‘Down Tools’ Over Telecom Tariff Increase

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The Trade Union Congress (TUC) has threatened to go on strike if the Federal Government does not rescind its recent approval for the 50 per cent increase in telecommunications tariff.

The President of the TUC, Comrade Festus Osifo, made this known during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Thursday.

Following its National Administrative Council (NAC) meeting earlier in the day, the TUC condemned the proposed tariff hike, saying that it is not only ill-timed but also a deliberate act of economic oppression against Nigerians.

Asked if the union will down tools and enter the streets if the FG doesn’t act on their demand for the reversal of the decision, Osifo replied, “Yes! Correct!”

On the date the action will begin, Osifo said, “What we had today is the NAC meeting to bring about the sensitization. After that, we will have the CWC meeting and the NEC meeting. So, it is the responsibility of NEC of TUC to give a date and define the next line of action.”

The TUC president advised the Federal Government to tackle the root cause of the problem which he said is forex management rather than the symptoms.

“If you know what the root cause of the problem is, why would you start looking at the symptoms? So, all the increment that we are seeing today is the symptoms of the FX mismanagement.

“So, all we are asking is that let us sit down, let us look at how we can go back to that root cause because we strongly believe that if that root cause is addressed, there is no need for these symptoms to prop up,” Osifo said.

He acknowledged that the telecommunications companies are facing high costs of operations, but said that it would be better for them for the government to provide economic stability that will reduce the cost of operation instead of always looking to increase tariffs.

The proposed telecom tariff increase has raised dust among labour unions and civil society organisations. The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) had fixed a protest on Tuesday but suspended the action following a talk with representatives of the Federal Government.

After extensive deliberation, both the NLC and the FG agreed to set up a 10-man committee comprising five members from both parties to review and submit its report within two weeks.

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Well-Meaning Not Enough In Leadership, Fayemi Tells Tinubu

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Former Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi says President Bola Tinubu means well with his policies but well-meaning is not enough in leadership.

The ex-governor, who described the president as his elder brother, said the Tinubu administration must have a policy framework that aligns with leadership acumen to get Nigerians the desired change.

“He (Tinubu) is well-meaning but well-meaning is not enough in leadership; intentionality is critical to success,” the All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain said on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme on Thursday.

Fayemi, a high-ranking member of the president’s party and an ally of the number one citizen, said those in power know the truth but do not act the truth “because sometimes there are many mediating factors”.

He said, “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has done many good things, we all must acknowledge that. He’s been bold to take on some of the most difficult decisions that previous leaders have been reluctant to take on.

“The fallout of those decisions has caused us huge cost of living crisis. Fuel subsidy removal, convergence of FX window.

“Whether you talk about student loan or other efforts at resisting insurgency, taming insecurity, tax policy reform, increase revenue into the federal coffers, some elements are there but need to come together.

“This is where effective policy framework go side by side with leadership acumen to get a change of narrative to the story. Maybe that’s the area where we need to do lots more.”

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El-rufai Can’t Unsettle Tinubu, He Can’t Even Win A Senate Seat –Bwala

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By Augustine Akhilomen

The Special Adviser to the President on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala has disclosed that Nasir El-Rufai recent outburst can’t unsettle president Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.

Bwala made this known in an interview on TVC News on Thursday, where he said that Tinubu is not bothered by the incessant criticism of his government by El-Rufai.

According to Bwala, the former Kaduna State governor does not have the capacity to win even a senate seat.

He also saidn that El-Rufai needs a solid revolutionary figure to thrive in the country’s political settings.

“Let me tell you something about my elder brother, el-Rufai, and whether we should be concerned.

“There’s a dynamic around him. El-Rufai needs a solid revolutionary figure to thrive. On his own, El-Rufa’i might not even secure a Senate seat.”

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